Karnataka CM D K Shivakumar Faces Fresh Challenges as Ministers Unhappy Over Portfolio Allocation Head to Delhi
Growing dissatisfaction within the Karnataka Congress has resurfaced, with senior leaders seeking intervention from the party high command in New Delhi.
Bengaluru: Internal tensions within the Congress government led by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Karnataka continue to create political challenges. Just days after the leadership claimed to have resolved differences with senior leader Ramalinga Reddy, fresh signs of dissatisfaction have emerged over the allocation of ministerial portfolios.
In the latest development, two prominent Congress leaders have travelled to New Delhi to meet the party’s central leadership and present their concerns. Their visit has intensified speculation that unresolved issues remain within the ruling party.
Among them is Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who has reportedly not yet formally taken charge of his department despite being assigned the portfolio. According to political sources, Gowda wants the Bengaluru Development Authority and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority to be brought under his department. He believes that without control over these key agencies, his ability to oversee the city’s planning and development would be significantly limited.
His stand has sparked fresh debate within political circles and raised questions about whether the process of portfolio distribution has truly been settled.
At the same time, Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad is also in New Delhi. Sources suggest that he is unhappy about not being included in the state cabinet and is lobbying the party leadership for a ministerial position. The presence of both leaders in the national capital has provided opposition parties with an opportunity to criticize the government and highlight what they describe as growing internal competition for power and positions.
The latest developments come shortly after a political crisis involving senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy. Last week, Chief Minister Shivakumar held a late night meeting with Reddy and reportedly persuaded him to withdraw his resignation. Reddy had been assigned the Major and Medium Irrigation portfolio but was said to be disappointed after not receiving the Bengaluru Development department, which he believed had been promised to him before the formation of the government.
Although the chief minister publicly described the dispute as a family matter and claimed it had been resolved, the recent actions of Krishna Byre Gowda and Rizwan Arshad indicate that dissatisfaction within the party may still be simmering beneath the surface.
Political observers warn that continued disagreements over portfolios and leadership ambitions could affect the government’s functioning. They note that maintaining unity within the cabinet and party ranks will be crucial for Shivakumar as he seeks to ensure stability and deliver on governance promises.
If the Congress high command does not address these concerns quickly and fairly, analysts believe the state could face further political uncertainty, potentially impacting both governance and development initiatives.